Shame on you, Mrs. Minister of Culture of Albania! Forum for Cultural Heritage seeks UNESCOs help.

Shame! A cafeteria is being built in Butrint archaeological park, part of UNESCO cultural heritage. This illicit object is being constructed near a prehistoric wall that dates back to 7th century B.C. According park's director Gjergji Mano, the construction permission had been given by the Ministry of Culture. UNESCO prohibits any kind of construction within the protected area, therefore this permission issued by the Ministry of Culture is a clear violation. Newly and the Forum for the Protection of the Cultural Heritage in Albania reacted over this scandal. Forum declared that is following with concern constructions inside the Butrint Park. "According to the documents and official notices of Mirela Kumbaro's staff, the facility in question will be a souvenir shop while the second facility will be a “Multifunctional Service Center", (in other words a coffee-shop). Why should these two facilities be built up in the park, next to a prehistoric wall, dating to the 7-8th century BC? Is it really necessary to construct a coffee-shop and sell souvenirs inside a park where the underground has not yet extracted its treasures?", reacted in his declarate the Forum for the Protection of the Cultural Heritage in Albania. It urged that prior to granting concessions permissions to privates, Butrint has an urgent need for his management plan, which is being delayed by the Ministry of Culture since 12 years, despite that is obligatory on view of the fact that the park part of the UNESCO World Heritage. “Minister Kumbaro should also explain the fact that these facilities are being built at the request of private entities, namely the famous Private Public Partnership (PPP), and will be managed by them. And rumors are that we are not talking about businesses operating in the field of art or foundations that help protect the heritage, but other businesses without the proper experience in the complex management required in such cases.” declareded the Forum for the Protection of the Cultural Heritage in Albania. The Forum declared its intention to address an official letter to UNESCO Secretariat denouncing the forthcoming scandal. Butrint is one of the most important archaeological sites in Albania, containing different artefacts and structures, dating from the Bronze age up until the modern period. A number of major monuments are still extant including the city walls, late-antique baptistery, great basilica, theatre and Venetian castles. The Butrint National Park is a national park in southern Albania, located some 18 kilometres in south of Sarande. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed the park as Category II.